CD Reviews

ALL Her Early Hits, And Their B-Sides, Are Here

08/14/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Collectables hits a home-tun with this compilation of a R&B singer who was possessed of an earthy, sophisticated voice for one so young, but whose songs, for some inexplicable reason, never really caught on in the more lucrative Billboard Pop Hot 100 market. In fact, counting all 16 of her hit R&B singles registered between 1959 and 1975, just eight made the Hot 100 and only one of those made the Top 40 - That's How Heartaches Are Made which reached # 40 [and # 10 R&B] in May 1963 b/w There He Is for the Sue label.

Born Jeanette Washington in November 1940, she made her first appearance on the charts in 1955 as a member of the girl-group The Hearts [along with Joyce James, Joyce Peterson, and Zell Sanders - not the same "Hearts" that sang with Lee Andrews]. With Al Sears and his orchestra backing, Lonely Nights went to # 8 R&B that May b/w Oo-Wee for the Baton label, but could not break into the pop charts - likely due to the inability of Baton to properly promote the song. That would be the group's only hit.

In 1957 she went solo and cut several records for J&S without success, but in 1959, after securing a contract with Neptune Records, had a # 22 R&B that January with The Time [flipside You Never Could Be Mine] under the billing Baby Washington. Again, however, this was shut out of the Hot 100, as was the July follow-up, The Bells (On Our Wedding Day) which, with Why Did My Baby Put Me Down? as the B-side, reached # 20 R&B.

There were no further hits at Neptune until 1961 when, perhaps prophetically, Nobody Cares (About Me) stalled at # 17 R&B in June b/w Money's Funny, billed to Jeanette (Baby) Washington. Some encouragement was garnered, however, when the A-side became her first Hot 100 hit, reaching # 60. Unfortunately, another full year would then pass, and a change of address to the Sue label, before Handful Of Memories rose to # 16 R&B b/w Careless Hands, but on the Hot 100 it could only manage a # 116 "Bubble Under."

That was followed almost another full year later by the above-mentioned That's How Heartaches Are Made, and in July, Leave Me Alone reached # 21 R&B/# 62 Hot 100 b/w You And The Night And The Music. By the time of her next four hits in late 1963 and all of 1964, Billboard had suspended the separate R&B charts, with the R&B performances in that period now recorded for posterity only by their Hot 100 performances. Hey Lonely One, b/w Doodlin, topped out at # 100 in October 1963, in March 1964 I Can't Wait Until I See My Baby's Face, billed to Justine Washington, made it to # 93 while its flipside, Who's Going To Take Care Of Me, "bubbled under" at # 125.

The Clock just made the Hot 100 at # 100 in September 1964 b/w Standing On The Pier, and in December It'll Never Be Over For Me stalled at # 98 b/w Move On Drifter. In July 1965, by which time the R&B charts had been restored, Only Those In Love rose to # 10 R&B, but on the Hot 100 could only manage a # 73. That would mark her final Sue hit and is the last of her hits included here.

In 1969, by which time she had moved over to Cotillion, she had a # 35 R&B with I Don't Know, b/w I Can't Afford To Loce Him, and it would be another long four years before she had another, this time a duet with Don Gardner for the Master label which saw Forever reach # 30 R&B and bubble under on the Hot 100 at # 119, b/w Baby Let Me Get Close To You.

Later in 1973 she had a solo hit with Just Can't Get You Out Of My Mind, a # 76 R&B b/w You (Just A Dream), and in early 1974 I've Got To Break Away made it to # 32 R&B b/w the same flipside as the previous release. Still with Master, she then had her final hit there, a # 88 R&B in early 1975 with Can't Get Over Losing You b/w Care Free.

By then disco was in full force and like many of her contemporaries [Mary Wells as an example] her music fell out of favour - even in the R&B field. As an added note, she is often confused with the Jeanette Washington who helped form PARLET in 1978 - but they are not one and the same.

One of Collectables gems and highly recommended."

Underrated for sure.

Uncle Steven | Pikesville, Maryland USA | 01/04/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This R&B legend has not gotten the props this woman deserves. Started out round the time Ike & Tina came out. She was HOT in the chitlin' circut era. I don't have this particular CD but I know just about every song on it. I love this woman's voice. My favorite is "Work out". If you're a R&B lover...check sis out. She was off the hook in her day. I hear she's still doing oldies shows. That's good to hear. I would love to go see her."